Gratitude of The Fox
by amarinamikaze
Summary: Ai is in trouble.This is a life and death situation.


Gratitude Of the Fox.

One day Ai and her otosan went to the woods to look at the beautiful blooming sakura flowers. This was Ai's favorite place to go ever since her okasan died. All of a sudden there was a small red fox. They stared at the fox, as it stared back. "Her fur will make beautiful warm mittens for you, Ai," Otosan said. Ai did not want the fox to die. It was so small, it was probably still a baby. As Otosan shot an arrow at the fox, Ai jumped in front of the fox. The arrow pierced into her arm. She yelped in pain. The fox whimpered feeling bad for Ai and ran away. "Ai! Why did you do that? You could have been killed! You are just a child.," Otosan said, taking out the arrow with tears rolling down his cheeks. Ai looked away from him. It always got her scared to see him cry. "O-Otosan...? Please do not cry," she said putting her pale hand on his face. Otosan smiled and picked her up and walked home.

As Ai and Otosan were eating dinner, there was a knock at the door. Otosan got up to see who it was. There standing before him was a little girl with bright red hair and green eyes. She looked about seven years old...the same age as Ai. "My name is KushinaUzamaki," the little girl said. Ai ran up to the door. She was amazed by the girl's beauty. "My name is Ai Enma...are you lost?" Ai asked. "Nai, I just have no home at the moment," Kushina said. Ai felt bad for the girl. "Otosan? Can she stay here for a little while?" Ai asked hastily tugging at his arm. "I do not see why not. Come on in. Please have something to eat." He stepped aside and let her in. Ai put down another plate and some of their best ohashi. "Itadakimasu." Kushina said and started eating the food with much grace, but also eating like she had never eaten food before. "Gochisosama," Kushina said when she was finished with a smile on her face.

Day after day passed. Ai and Kushina became very close friends. Inseperable to be exact. One night, a man came to the house. "Ai Enma is suppose to be the sacrifice this year. You need to hurry up and get her ready," the man said. "But why does have to be my daughter? She is the only one I've got,"Otosan said. "Do you want the whole village to die because the gods are angry? If you don't want her to be the sacrifice then why don't you find a 7 year old girl in the village?" The man shouted. Otosan bowed his head. Ai was the only 7 year old girl in the village. "I will do it," someone said in a quite voice. Everyone looked at Kushina. "Don't try to talk me out of it. I owe you my life." With that Otosan and Ai helped Kushina into a beautiful sakura-pink kimono. As Ai tied back Kushina's hair in a pink ribbon she said, "Why are you doing this for me?" Kushina just smiled. "You'll see."

Kushina took small steps. Matching her pace with the beat of the song what the villagers were singing. _"Sakura no hana wa itsu hiraku. Yama no osato ni itsu hiraku. Sakura no hana wa itsu niou. Warau nana no ko asobu koro. Sakura no hana wa itsu odoro. Utau nana no ko nemuru koro. Sakura no hana wa itsu kuchiru. Shinda nana no ko noburu koro." _

Kushina took a slow and deep breath as she picked up the small bowl full of liquid poison. Ai started to cry. Her only friend is going to die. "Please, please." Ai whimpered. Kushina tilted back the bowl letting the poison burn her throat. She fell forward because of the strength that left her body. "You will always be my best friend...Ai..." Kushina whispered. She took her last breath smelling the sweet cherry blossoms in the air and died. Ai fell on her knees and cried. Two men picked Kushina up carefully and laid her in the shrine to the gods. This will also be her grave.

One week later Ai went to the shrine to pay Kushina's spirit a visit. Today, though. Something told her to open the small fusuma door and look inside. She did what her instincts told her and gasped when she saw what was inside. It was not the little girl who died last week, but the small red fox that she saved the life of, months ago. "This is what Kushina meant when she said she owes me her life...it is because I nearly got myself killed saving her. She is the fox," Ai smiled, a sad smile and stroked the fur of the fox. "I hope the gods treat you well in heaven, Kushina-san."

*otosan=father, okasan=mother, nai=no, ohashi=chopsticks, itadakimasu=I receive this food, gochisosama=it was a feast* The English version of children of seven is…. "_Why do lovely flowers bloom from the cherry tree?_

_Children of seven, waking, smile at the sun._

_Why do fragrant blossoms stir in the mountain air?_

_Children of seven, laughing, run through the woods._

_Why do crimson branches dance for the village streets?_

_Children of seven, singing, call down the wind._

_Why do wilting flowers fall from the cherry tree?_

_Children of seven, dying, to wake once more." _

_*yes ik this doesn't really happen and naruto's mother doesn't die at the age of felt like doing this...*_


End file.
